ACCOMMODATION:
First floor
Entry through main door (seen in photo through gates) leading up a small
staircase to hallway with mezzanine study area. Further hallway off
study area leads to lounge, one double bedroom with en-suite shower
room, one single bedroom, and dining kitchen with large balcony
overlooking countryside.
Ground floor
Entry by rear door to kitchenette, lounge,
one double bedroom, one single bedroom and bathroom. Access to
stairway to first floor through door in lounge. Outside patio area, beneath the first floor balcony, provides a shaded cool area.
Storage room
Entry by external door to storage room used typically for things you may
store in a shed.
Garden
The spacious garden extends around two sides of the house, partly
hardstanding and partly lawned with various fruit trees such as lemons,
limes, kiwis etc which are very bountiful in the summer.
Central heating is
by a Saunier Duval boiler
There is a phone line currently connected
with broadband
Room
dimensions:
|
Ground
Floor |
First
Floor |
Lounge
15' x 12'
Double bedroom 10' 6" x 9'
Single bedroom 9' x 9'
Kitchenette 12' x 6'
Bathroom 10'6" x 7'6"
Patio 15' x 9' |
Lounge
15' x 10'6"
Dining kitchen 24' x 9'
Mezzanine study area 16'6" x 7'6"
Hallway 21' x 3'
Double bedroom 10'6" x 9'
En-suite shower room 7'6" x 4'6"
Single bedroom 9' x 9'
Balcony 15' x 12' |
All the
contents of the house can be left if required.
Photos:
External
First
Floor
Ground
Floor
History of house:
The house was renovated by an English builder in 2006, to British standards.
Because of the name of the house, Casa São João (House of Saint John), the local
priest and villagers come to the house once a year to bless it and leave
flowers.
Location: São João da Boa Vista is a quiet, rural village
of around 500 inhabitants in the district of Coimbra. In the village itself there is a small shop and a friendly
cafe, the centre of village life, where they serve coffee and alcohol,
watch TV (especially football!) and greet friends. They also run a taxi
service, which is very reasonable. The Portuguese are
very welcoming, like to practise their English and are supportive of people trying to learn their
language. Portuguese lessons are available.
This
area is not far from the national park of Serra da Estrela, the largest mountain
range in Portugal, which offers winter skiing in the resort of Loriga.
Photos of National
Park and Loriga ski resort
Walkers
will enjoy the mountains and the lush wooded
landscape in the valleys. The nearest coastal resort is Figueira
da Foz, a 90 minute drive away, famed for its sandy beaches. It is the
largest seaside attraction in Portugal outside the Algarve.
Two views of Figueira da Foz
The local town of Tábua is a 10 minute drive from São
João da Boa Vista and is the administrative centre of the area. It is a very
attractive town with restaurants, shops, supermarkets, health centre,
town hall, banks, post office,
cinema etc and an historic
centre with cafes, antiques shops etc. and fountain. There are a number of British living in the area
and if needed there is a good support network amongst ex-pats. Tábua is sandwiched between the
rivers Mondego and Alva in the heart of central Portugal. The
rivers offer the opportunities for canoeing and other water sports.
Bike riding and horse riding are also popular in the area and bikes can
be hired locally and horse riding arranged.
The fountain and
Town Hall of Tábua
Travel:
Oporto airport in the north offers cheap flights with Ryanair and the
drive to Tábua is around
2 hours on motorway and A roads. The
train system in Portugal is excellent and there are always English
speaking personnel at the main stations. By train you travel
from Oporto to Coimbra, then take a local train to Santa
Comba Dão and then a taxi to São
João da Boa Vista. Transport is much cheaper in Portugal than in the
UK.
For
further information, please email the owner, Michael Smith at micksmith2012@gmail.com
